Schwartzapfel Lawyers Blog

by Michael Reiner, Esq.

With all this devastating weather we have faced recently on the East Coast, it is best to have your car ready ahead of time so that you are best prepared to deal with the aftermath of such challenges.  Before a storm approaches, fill your gas tank and have your cell phone fully charged.  Should your area lose power, this will ensure  you can either call for help or drive to a safer area.

Warn tires can also be dangerous on slick roads.  Make sure to check your tread and tire pressure before the storm hits.  You also want to make sure your windshield wiper blades are in good working order.  It is also worth checking your headlights to make sure they are working properly.

Lastly, it is recommended that your car be equipped with an emergency kit which should include a first-aid kit, reflective hazard triangle or flares, tire pressure gauge, flashlight, gloves, cash, and a blanket.  Also make sure your car is equipped with a tire jack.

These are just some tips to prepare you and your vehicle for the bad weather we have been facing lately.

By Brian Murphy, Esq.

Drivers should keep their eyes peeled this fall and winter.  The IIHS recently wrote about a report from the Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI) demonstrating that from 2006 – 2011, the months of October through January were by far the most active when it comes to automobile-deer collisions and related insurance claims.

The vast majority of those collisions and claims involve deer.  Why deer?  Well, deer mating season takes place during the fall and winter, so bucks tend to roam more during those months than any other months.

To read more about automobile-deer collisions and see which states have the highest animal strike rates, click here.

By Matthew Connolly, Esq.

US Secretary of Transportation announced last week that law enforcement throughout the country will be cracking down on drunk drivers this holiday season. Secretary Ray LaHood stated that “the holiday season can be an especially dangerous time on our nation’s roadways due to drunk drivers – that’s why law enforcement officers will be out in full force. Our message is simple: drive sober or get pulled over.” The holiday drunk driving initiative will be supported by ads on both radio and television. The National Highway Traffic Safety administration on their site also offers these safety tips:

• Plan ahead. If you will be drinking, do not drive. Designate a sober driver or arrange another safe way home.
• If you are impaired, find another way home. Use a taxi, call a sober friend or family member, use public transportation or contact your local sober ride program.
• Be responsible. If someone you know is drinking, do not let that person get behind the wheel. If you see an impaired driver on the road, contact law enforcement. Your actions may save someone’s life, and inaction could cost a life.

For the full article, see here. 

By Patrick Finley, Esq.

Children are naturally curious and love to explore their surroundings. So, if you leave your kids unattended, in or near a vehicle, it won’t be long before they are playing in it. Hide and seek can turn deadly if they get trapped in the trunk, where temperatures can rise very quickly – resulting in heatstroke or asphyxiation.

Prevention Tips 

• Teach children that vehicle trunks are for cargo, not for playing.

• Always supervise your children carefully when in and around vehicles.

• Check the trunk right away if your child is missing.

• Lock your car doors and trunk and be sure keys and remote entry devices are out of sight and reach of your kids.

• Keep the rear fold-down seats closed/locked to keep your children from climbing into the trunk from inside your car.

 Retrofit Your Car 

As of September 1, 2001, auto manufacturers were required to equip all new vehicle trunks with a ‘glow in the dark’ trunk release inside the trunk compartment. Show your kids how to use the release in case of an emergency. If your car is older and does not have the ‘glow in the dark’ trunk release, ask your automobile dealership about getting your vehicle retrofitted with a trunk release mechanism. 

What You Need To Know, Now. 

• Younger children are more sensitive to heat than older children and adults, and are at greater risk for heatstroke.

• High temperature, humidity and poor ventilation create an extremely dangerous environment in a vehicle trunk.

• Check the trunk right away if your child is missing.

• Even in cooler temperatures, your vehicle can heat up to dangerous temperatures very quickly. An outside temperature in the mid 60s can cause a vehicle’s inside temperature to rise above 110 degrees Fahrenheit. The inside temperature of your car can rise almost 20 degrees Fahrenheit within the first 10 minutes